If you had any doubts: Sen. Greg Ball won't be leaving the state Senate quietly.

Ball, R-Patterson, Putnam County, is threatening to sue his one-time ally Assemblyman Steve Katz, R-Yorktown, Westchester County, after Katz (left) made reference to Ball (right) being under investigation for misuse of campaign funds.

In a letter dated today, Tacopina defended Ball's use of campaign funds, saying the Putnam County Republican didn't "misspend a penny" and that "a review of his records will bear that out beyond contestation."

"Thus, if some misguided political agenda or personal motivation again compels you to falsely indicate something to the contrary, we will commence litigation against you, seeking all available remedies under the law, including not only compensatory, but punitive damages for your intentionally malicious conduct," Tacopina wrote.

When a Gannett reporter caught up with Ball in a Capitol hallway, he declined comment on the letter but doubled down on his criticism of Katz. "I'm going to focus on being a senator and I'll let Joe Tacopina deal with the small and bitter man that is pothead Assemblyman Katz," Ball said.

Ball's lawsuit threat stems from Katz' announcement last week that he would be seeking re-election this fall. According to Katz' chief of staff Joseph Ahearn, Katz was asked about a City & State report (and various follow-ups) that cited internal Moreland Commission documents that questioned Ball's use of $23,000 in campaign funds at clothing and retail stores.

The Moreland Commission, an anti-corruption panel that was investigating state lawmakers, was disbanded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in March after lawmakers agreed to pass tougher anti-bribery laws among other ethics reforms. Since then, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has stepped in to review the commission's documents.

Ahearn said Katz' office had not yet received the letter and declined further comment, other than to say Katz was citing public reports.

Ball, on the other hand, has had plenty to say about Katz. According to an audio clip posted by the Yorktown News, Ball last week said you "don't know when (Katz) is high or when he's just completely delusional or paranoid because of his evidently constant drug use."

Katz and Ball were once political allies, but their relationship soured some time within the past three years. Things got so bad in 2012 that Katz briefly attempted to primary Ball before ending his bid and successfully seeking re-election in the Assembly.